Chapter 121 - 90: Wind Chasing Saber Stance
"Oh!" Xiaoxing said, but she grew even more curious. ’Building a pavilion just to practice his Saber Technique? This Chen Cheng is a little too diligent in cultivating the Martial Dao.’
’But practicing Saber Technique in a pavilion, where you can’t fully extend your limbs, what effect could that possibly have?’
"I’ll go take a look," Xiaoxing said, standing up.
...
In the pavilion, Chen Cheng stood quietly, Long Saber in hand. A sharp light glinted in his eyes, and a faint smile touched his lips.
’So, this is Saber Momentum! I cultivate the Wind Chasing Saber Technique, so the Saber Momentum I’ve developed is related to the wind.’
’When I use the Wind Chasing Saber Stance, I can sense the momentum of the wind. The Saber Momentum draws on the wind’s momentum, and by leveraging that pull, my Saber Technique becomes faster, truly achieving the effect of chasing the wind.’
’With the Wind Chasing Saber Stance, my Saber Technique’s power is likely more than ten times stronger than a Perfect Level Saber Technique.’
’With the Wind Chasing Saber Stance deployed, even if I face a Great Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm who hasn’t cultivated Momentum, I’m confident I could kill them first.’
’As for a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm, I wouldn’t be afraid even if they had cultivated Momentum.’
’I wonder how my Wind Chasing Saber Stance would fare against Shen Qingshuang’s Frost Snow Sword Stance—which would be stronger?’
Chen Cheng then summoned his panel to check it.
[Name: Chen Cheng
Realm: Skin Grinding Realm (Great Success)
Skills: Iron Armor Skill (Great Success 4530/10000)
Bear Skin Grinding Technique (Great Success 6568/10000)
Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Perfection, Wind Chasing Saber Stance) (Deduction in progress. Current Progress: 1/100. Upon completion, this can be upgraded to a Superior Technique.)
Powerful Eagle Claw Skill (Beginner Level 15/100)]
Having focused on cultivating the Wind Chasing Saber Technique during this time, his Cultivation Progress in the Iron Armor Skill hadn’t increased by much.
He had cultivated the Bear Skin Grinding Technique four more times, and its progress was increasing steadily. He only needed to cultivate it four more times to reach Perfection.
As for the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill, he hadn’t practiced it at all. After all, if he wanted to increase his combat strength, prioritizing the Cultivation Progress of his Wind Chasing Saber Technique was the best way.
After he cultivated Momentum, a technique deduction feature had unexpectedly appeared for his Wind Chasing Saber Technique.
Clearly, the Wind Chasing Saber Technique was only a Mid-level Skill. Cultivating Saber Momentum was its limit. To advance further and cultivate a Realm, one had to practice Superior Cultivation Techniques.
’I don’t know how fast the technique deduction progresses. If the speed is decent, I might as well continue with it.’
Just as he was lost in thought, Xi’Er’s voice suddenly came from the corridor.
"Young Master, Lord Su is here to see you."
’Lord Su?’ Chen Cheng froze for a moment. ’I don’t think I know any lord with the surname Su.’ As he was wondering, he saw Xi’Er lead Xiaoxing into the inner courtyard.
It was still pouring rain, so Chen Cheng couldn’t easily leave the pavilion. He cupped his fists from a distance and said, "So it is Miss Xiaoqing who graces us with her presence. Forgive me for not coming out to greet you."
"You’re too kind, Chief Chen. I’ve come uninvited, so I’m the one who is intruding," Xiaoxing said with a smile, walking straight into the pavilion.
Seeing that Chen Cheng’s clothes were slightly damp and his handsome face was streaked with sweat, it was clear he had just been training hard. Xiaoxing’s eyes lit up as she praised him, "Chief Chen is truly diligent in cultivating the Martial Dao. I’m impressed."
Chen Cheng smiled. "You flatter me, Miss Xiaoqing. My strength is lacking, so naturally I must train hard."
"Did you come here, Miss Xiaoqing, because Senior Sister Shen has instructions for me?"
Xiaoxing took off her cloak and nodded. "My lady did indeed order me to relay some matters to you, Chief Chen, but that’s not urgent."
"I’ve been wanting to see your Saber Technique for a while. Last time at the Ruyi Square Sub-Department, you were unwilling to make a move."
"Since you were just practicing your Saber Technique, you must have made some progress. How about we spar for a few moves?"
Though Xiaoxing called it a spar, she actually wanted to show off her Swordsmanship in front of Chen Cheng. Unfortunately, he had never given her the chance, which she had always regretted.
In her view, "guiding" Chen Cheng for a few moves with her Perfect Level Sword Skill would, on one hand, display her formidable strength and outstanding Swordsmanship, and on the other, win his sincere admiration.
Chen Cheng read her expression and quickly guessed Xiaoxing’s little scheme.
People who cultivate the Martial Dao often liked to show off their strength to gain others’ approval. Yan Jian had been like that before, and Xiaoxing was clearly cut from the same cloth.
Chen Cheng had intentionally hidden his skill before because he didn’t want to reveal that he had reached Saber Technique Perfection.
Now that he had cultivated Saber Momentum, he could confidently display his Perfect Level Saber Technique. Sparring with Xiaoxing would also give him a baseline for when he encountered other Martial Artists with perfected Sword and Saber Skills in the future.
At this thought, Chen Cheng smiled and replied straightforwardly, "In that case, let’s spar for a few moves."
"You’re finally willing to spar with me? That’s great!" Xiaoxing’s eyes lit up. She quickly handed her cloak to Xi’Er, then drew her Longsword and took her stance.
"This pavilion is a bit small, making it inconvenient to execute Sword Techniques, but my Swordsmanship is already at Perfection, so it won’t affect me much."
"As for you, Chief Chen, if you find you can’t properly wield your saber, you can fight from outside the pavilion."
"If you can force me out of the pavilion, I’ll consider it my loss. How about it?"
In Xiaoxing’s eyes, her Swordsmanship was already at Perfection, while Chen Cheng’s Saber Technique was only at Great Success. In a fair fight, Chen Cheng naturally stood no chance.
By restricting herself to the pavilion, she was limiting her own strength. If Chen Cheng went all out, he might have a ten or twenty percent chance of winning.
After all, Chen Cheng possessed Innate Divine Power and used a saber. If he relied on his advantage in brute force, he still had some combat ability and couldn’t be underestimated.
Chen Cheng’s expression was calm as he said leisurely, "Miss Xiaoqing, I forgot to mention, my Wind Chasing Saber Technique has already reached the Perfect Level."
"What?" Xiaoxing was shocked and exclaimed in astonishment, "You’ve already reached Saber Technique Perfection? How is that possible?"
During the official constable assessment, she had clearly seen that Chen Cheng was only at Great Success in Saber Technique. How much time had passed since then?
No matter how exceptionally talented Chen Cheng was, it was impossible for him to cultivate so quickly.
After all, even her own lady, the prodigy Shen Qingshuang, had taken a full year to advance from Great Success to Perfection in her swordsmanship.
"You’ll know if my Saber Technique is at Perfection once we test it."
Chen Cheng smiled, then swiftly swung his Long Saber, slashing straight for Xiaoxing’s face.
The move seemed casual, but it was precise, sharp, and fierce.
Xiaoxing’s Swordsmanship was long since at Perfection; how could she not see how formidable it was?
Her delicate brows furrowed, and with her full concentration, she quickly flicked her Longsword out in a thrust aimed straight at Chen Cheng’s throat.
When experts clash, they don’t yield an inch. She was trying to seize the initiative against Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng spun around, his Blade Technique suddenly changing as he swept his saber toward Xiaoxing’s sword hand, moving as fast as lightning.
"Nice one!" Xiaoxing shouted, her Longsword chopping down diagonally to meet Chen Cheng’s Long Saber. She was still meeting force with force, unwilling to lose any momentum.
Chen Cheng flickered again, his Blade Technique changing once more. He reversed his slash toward Xiaoxing’s lower ribs. The Technique was so intricate and profound that Xiaoxing didn’t have time to change her move and could only dodge. At the same time, she swept her sword horizontally to prevent Chen Cheng from changing his attack again.
’Perfect Level Sword Skill really is something else!’ Chen Cheng thought. He retreated two steps to evade Xiaoxing’s attack, then moved to circle her, delivering several chops in quick succession.
These few slashes looked ordinary, but each one was solid, heavy, and incredibly fast.
Xiaoxing didn’t dare to be careless and hastily dodged, but this series of evasions brought her to the edge of the pavilion.
Chen Cheng’s Long Saber was like a bolt of white silk as he attacked again, clearly intending to use his power to force her out of the pavilion.
By now, Xiaoxing could see how formidable Chen Cheng’s Saber Technique was. Forgetting their prior agreement, she suddenly spun around a pavilion pillar and swiftly counter-attacked toward Chen Cheng’s left ribs with her Longsword.
Chen Cheng laughed loudly and retreated quickly. Having gained the upper hand with one move, Xiaoxing pressed her advantage, her Sword Techniques flowing one after another without pause.
Chen Cheng, fully alert to his surroundings, dealt with her attacks meticulously. The two fought for more than ten rounds, yet were evenly matched.
In fact, both of them had been forced out of the pavilion several times.
"It’s too cramped in the pavilion! Let’s fight outside!" Caught up in the excitement of the duel, Xiaoxing voluntarily retreated, then turned and left the pavilion, standing in the downpour with her Longsword in hand.
"As you wish!" Chen Cheng said. He stomped his foot, and his Long Saber, carrying the force of the rain, chopped down toward Xiaoxing’s face with incredible speed.
Xiaoxing neither dodged nor retreated. The Qi Blood Power around her body suddenly surged as she swung her Longsword forward with all her might.
"CLANG!"
The saber and sword collided with a piercing shriek of metal, and both of them retreated several steps.
Xiaoxing felt her right sword hand go numb. She was terrified and cried out in alarm:
"You’re a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm?"